Putin: West sees that resolution of all problems in Donbas not in Moscow’s competence

MOSCOW, October 13. /TASS/. Western countries see that the resolution of all problems in Donbas is not in the competence of Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday at VTB-Capital’s investment forum "Russia Calling!"

"There are many problems there but the majority of them are not in our competence. Do our colleagues in Europe and the United States see it? I think they do," Putin said. "I have reasons to assume that they see it but it is uncomfortable for them to say that the current authorities in Kiev are unable to solve them," he added.

"It is much easier to pass it on to us and say: ‘Look, you need to strengthen there, to increase by three times and six times’," Putin noted. "It is needed that our partners fulfill their commitments as well," he added.

Answering a question about anti-Russian sanctions, Putin said: "You should ask Europe or those who gives such commands, in another place."

Search for compromise on Donbas elections to be hard

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the process to search for compromise on elections in Donbas will be complicated but Kiev should do that.

"This will be a complicated process to seek compromise, but there’s no other way. And there are no problems on our part there. Despite all intra-political restrictions, our colleagues in Kiev should do that," Putin noted.

He also noted the necessity to make the decision on economic rehabilitation of Donbass, because if Kiev lifts its economic blockade from the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, it will no longer be necessary to send humanitarian aid there.

Putin calls ridiculous demands that Russia implement Minsk Agreements

Russuan President called ridiculous, not serious and unfunny constant demands that Moscow implement the Minsk Agreements.

"There’s no alternative to the Minsk deals. But speaking all the time that Russia should implement them becomes ridiculous," Putin said.

"This is already becoming not serious, unfunny, just ridiculous," he stressed.

Putin said the key thing that should underlie the settlement of the situation in Ukraine’s south-east is "political process".

He said that three to five components underlie stabilization of the political process in Ukraine, including introduction of amendments to the country’s constitution "on a permanent basis in coordination with Donetsk and Luhansk."

Putin stated that there are no changes yet, while all that has been created at the preliminary stage has not been agreed with Donetsk and Luhansk.

He said that despite intra-political restrictions, it is necessary to implement the Minsk Agreements. "It does not depend on us, but on the United States, Europe and Kiev," the Russian leader underscored.

Putin recalled that Ukraine should adopt the law on amnesty. "We here in Moscow can’t adopt the Ukrainian law on amnesty," he said.

"Why are we constantly told that we should implement the Minsk Agreements? Why should these notions and problems be substituted and why should the necessity of their solution be shifted to us? Why is this being done?" the Russian president said.

Minsk agreements on Ukraine

The Minsk accords were signed on February 12, after negotiations in the so-called "Normandy format" in the Belarusian capital Minsk, bringing together Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

The Minsk accords envisage ceasefire, weaponry withdrawal, prisoner exchange, local election in Donbass, constitutional reform in Ukraine and establishing working sub-groups on security, political, economy and humanitarian components of the Minsk accords.

The Ukrainian forces and the self-defense forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics have repeatedly accused each other of violating ceasefire and other points of the Minsk agreements.